Finally: JD Johannes apologizes to Glenn Greenwald for believing the Anbar awakening exists
posted at 10:13 pm on July 10, 2007 by Allahpundit
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‘Bout time. I’ve seen this happen time and again with the embeds there. Johannes, Yon, Roggio, Bill Ardolino, Pat Dollard, reporters from every major print news organization in America — they go over, they’re not prepared for the heat, they don’t drink enough fluids, and they end up hallucinating. And curiously, it’s always the same hallucination: that the Sunnis in western Iraq have purged the Salafis in their midst and achieved an “astonishing success in Anbar,” as John Burns, the latest victim of neocon heat stroke, recently put it. The Times had better either treat him or get him out of there before it gets worse and he starts babbling that Al Qaeda in Iraq poses a significant security threat to the country.
Why, now that I re-read his post, Johannes isn’t apologizing at all:
What I really learned today is the lengths many will go to deny the facts on the ground–when they have no knowledge of those facts–and the fear they have of success in Iraq. [Paging Eric Boehlert. -- ed.]
To them the Anbar Awakening cannot be true, because if it is, the surge will be extended, the Petraeus plan will be implemented fully accross the country and the enterprise could prove successful.
And if the enterprise is successful, they were wrong. Their identities being so wrapped up in their opinions and belief that Iraq is and will be a failure, that their egos will not allow them to be wrong. Admission that they were wrong is tantamount to self-identity suicide.
Therefore, the Awakening does not exist, what I saw in late May and previously in April does not exist. It is not happening. Everyone is being duped and lied to. Those Iraqi tribesmen? Actors. It is all astroturfed. After all Glenn Greenwald wrote a best selling book and I’m only a guy who spent two months in Al Anbar this Spring.
I am so glad Mr. Greenwald was able to set me straight–even if belatedly. To think, I was actually going to make a documentary about the Awakening Reaching Shihabi and Kharmah. How silly of me.
I think he’s trying to mock Greenwald there with the reference to the book, but he really shouldn’t. It’s not Glenn who brings that up at every opportunity, JD. It’s his fans.
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Nice takedown, all around.
Ken McCracken on July 10, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Spot on.
BadgerHawk on July 10, 2007 at 10:20 PM
Hey! That wasn’t an apology at all! Anyone as verbose as Greenwald has to know what he’s talking about.
frankj on July 10, 2007 at 10:22 PM
Hey, if the heat’s so bad they should send Gore over there, it’ll cool down in no time.
Good DAY sir.
Tman on July 10, 2007 at 10:30 PM
This sounds like important beach-reading material for some Republican Senators. It won’t mean much to the treasonous left…
Jaibones on July 10, 2007 at 10:37 PM
Ouch! That’s gotta hurt. Thank God, or something, for the new media.
RW Wacko on July 10, 2007 at 10:41 PM
I don’t understand why anybody links to or quotes Gleen.
I don’t understand why anybody links to or quotes Andrew Sullivan.
I don’t understand why anybody links to or quotes Ann Althouse.
All of these people are delusional hysterics.
Purple Fury on July 10, 2007 at 10:42 PM
I don’t even know who Glenn Greenweld is…
krabbas on July 10, 2007 at 11:15 PM
so wait; has progress been made in Al Anbar or was that found to be BS? I’m now REALLY confused.
Defector01 on July 10, 2007 at 11:19 PM
Mabye JD should have written it in Portuguese so
sock puppetGlenn would understand it better?andycanuck on July 10, 2007 at 11:20 PM
Now you know why so many of the reporters never leave the air conditioned comfort of the green zone. The heat and the truth.
Buzzy on July 10, 2007 at 11:25 PM
To: ALLAHPUNDIT,
I’ll make a bet with you today.
The bet is that when, not if the Anbar strategy is successful broadly all over Iraq, some (or all) MSM journalists will take credit for not only this original strategy idea, but also for reporting it; and to boot get this blame president Bush for not being behind this idea in the first place, as to why we were not successful these last four years.
That is my bet.
On a side bar note here, I have written the script for them, only to be revealed when they figure out how to do it.
Of course this will only further serve to devalue their journalistic paper’s reputation. Only then it will be worth less than recycled toilet paper.
Mcguyver on July 10, 2007 at 11:37 PM
And thus we see why the DEMS are going full bore for defeat NOw instead of waiting for Sept.
unseen on July 10, 2007 at 11:54 PM
What really __sses me off is you have a military commander and resources that are beginning to win, the Iraqi people are by and large beginning to fight the enemy, and the enemy is growing increasingly desperate.
So it’s time to quit. Now Republican Senators want to pack up and go him. And leave Iraq to become a terrorist-exporting hot bed and a Taliban state that will make the average Iraqi long for the fascist dictator, Hussein.
Brilliant. Thanks Republican Senators. Read one or several military history books first, a-holes. Wars go badly and those who persevere win them. Those who give up hope, lose, often with superior resources on their side.
You morons are going to do a bad turn for the world, the region, and your country.
Christoph on July 11, 2007 at 1:04 AM
So you think that the insurgents have determined that the DEMS haven’t met any of their benchmarks and are now demanding a surrender surge? I agree.
Buzzy on July 11, 2007 at 1:07 AM
Think about this-the survival of the new Iraq may depend on who the United States elects as President in 2008. All the good that we have done, toppling Hussein, holding free elections…every ounce of blood that has been given for Iraq’s freedom may all mean nothing if the defeatist party wins the White House. We’ve only continued to fight for the past three years because Kerry lost in 2004. This coming election has global consequences. Let’s get it right.
Doug on July 11, 2007 at 1:35 AM
…you could use manbearpig as bait
urbancenturion on July 11, 2007 at 1:39 AM
RW Wacko on July 10, 2007 at 10:41 PM
Nope the mainstream media will never allow the average American to see it, nor will they if there is any way they can avoid it allow the average American to find out that the surge is working.
doriangrey on July 11, 2007 at 1:49 AM
Morale and attitude are more important than almost anything in a protracted conflict like this. Our troops have it, their leaders have it, we have to have the courage to keep it.
I didn’t play D&D all those years without learning a thing or two about courage….and morale rolls.
TBinSTL on July 11, 2007 at 4:24 AM
It’s quite simple really: because Kos told them to. Kos made Greenwald.
Seixon on July 11, 2007 at 4:27 AM
If you watched the news last night, the MSM has totally blacked out what is really happening in Anbar or with the surge. Sen Carl Levin, instead, is braying that “the surge has failed, the surge has failed.” Pelosi and Reid are demanding the troops be recalled IMMEDIATELY.
The media’s take is totally aligned with the Democrats, and reporters like John Burns, Yon, Johannes, and so on, are simply not heard and their information is blackholed.
Short of violent revolution, I know of no way to force the media to report what we all know: That the anti-insurgent operations are going our way.
georgej on July 11, 2007 at 7:02 AM
I just read Mcguyver’s post, (that Dems will take credit and blame Bush for surge’s eventual success). Although it may be too late to save surge from the current “failure” mantra, I’d be all in favor of surrendering to the Dems in the politics in exchange for victory on the ground. That is, if it can turn the tide, let the new Dem narrative be: “Of course Bush took too long to try the surge in Iraq, he never really had a plan for post-invasion and he finally is trying to come on board with what we Dems have been saying: have a plan. We got Rumsfeld out who wanted to do everything with a couple troops, and we gave Petraeus a chance. Things clearly have turned because of the pressure of us Democrats.” If that misconstruction helps defeat AQI, then so be it.
G. Charles on July 11, 2007 at 7:17 AM
We jumped into a viper pit thinking it was going to be an easily-tamed tame bunny hutch.
Thanks to the Administration and its intelligence advisors failing to study the history of miltant, expansionist Islam, or recognize the 1300 year old Sunni-Shi’ite schism war in the region.
Now that we’re in, we should conquer our way out.
Even if it was a mistaken opening strategy, once you throw the first punch and get in the fight, you either go out on your feet or on your ass.
I prefer kicking theirs.
profitsbeard on July 11, 2007 at 9:26 AM
(ABOVE: Should read: “easily-tamed/tame bunny hutch“.)
profitsbeard on July 11, 2007 at 9:27 AM
G. Charles on July 11, 2007 at 7:17 AM
I agree with you totally. The most important thing is the outcome in the middle east. Even if the Dems and the media get undeserved credit (which I think would be transparent anyway.) who cares so much. The goal is victory for the country not for Republicans.
krabbas on July 11, 2007 at 9:31 AM
krabbas on July 11, 2007 at 9:31 AM
Sadly the Dems dont see it that way. The Dems see their only chance at a political victory here at home in a military defeat abroad for the current administration, and that administration just happens to be republican. The Dems are happy, even joyous to commit treason if doing so puts their party in political power.
doriangrey on July 11, 2007 at 10:48 AM
I agree completely. I’d rather beat AQI and let the Dems take credit for it because it means so much more to the Iraqis and to us in the long run.
acleaver on July 11, 2007 at 11:06 AM
acleaver on July 11, 2007 at 11:06 AM
I want what is best for this country in both the short and long term. Which also means that I would really like to see the Dems held accountable for what they are doing. A loss in Iraq is going to be bad for us and for the Iraqi’s, the only question is, will a loss in Iraq be as bad for us and the Iraqi’s as a win for the Democrats, which their being able to claim a win in Iraq would probably give them.
So in other words what I am suggesting here is that allowing the Dems to take credit for a success in Iraq, especially after they betrayed our troops and the current administration could quite potentially be even worse than a loss in Iraq alone would be.
Two wrongs never ever make a right, nobody ever makes a deal with the devil and come away still in possession of their own soul.
doriangrey on July 11, 2007 at 12:34 PM
If you watched the news last night, the MSM has totally blacked out what is really happening in Anbar or with the surge. Sen Carl Levin, instead, is braying that “the surge has failed, the surge has failed.” Pelosi and Reid are demanding the troops be recalled IMMEDIATELY.
The media’s take is totally aligned with the Democrats, and reporters like John Burns, Yon, Johannes, and so on, are simply not heard and their information is blackholed.
Short of violent revolution, I know of no way to force the media to report what we all know: That the anti-insurgent operations are going our way.
georgej on July 11, 2007 at 7:02 AM
Maybe we need a fairness doctrine after all !
SIJ6141 on July 11, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Comment from, G. Charles on July 11, 2007 at 7:17 AM
and from acleaver on July 11, 2007 at 11:06 AM
Which were comments from my post earlier:
Well exactly, I don’t really care who takes credit for winning either. It only further serves to devalue the credibility of the MSM and Bush haters.
We here at HA (and the blogsphere collectively) are the revolution! “Managing the news” has become impossible.
Mcguyver on July 11, 2007 at 11:02 PM